Good Hotels, But Lack Of Service For U.S. Visitors

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30094, 30 March 1963, Page 12

Good Hotels, But Lack Of Service For U.S. Visitors

(Kew Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 29. Inflexible meal hours in New Zealand hotels "really hit” visitors from overseas, the New Zealand travel commissioner in San Francisco. Mr N. F. Gouffe. said in Wellington today. The Dominion was competing with 70 other countries for American tourists. Mr Gouffe said, and "here was no magic formula for bringing them to New Zealand. About 2 million Americans 'ravelled overseas each year Those going overseas for the first time thought of Europe and then the Orient. From among those who had been to Europe and the Orient there was a potential market for tens of thousands in the South Pacific. In 1962. 10.655 Americans visited New Zealand, and this was 36 per cent, more than the previous year, he said. Mr Gouffe said he thought the total could be doubled in three or four years if the facilities were provided. The best hotel accommodation now available in New Zealand was acceptable to American tourists, but anything below that was not

“I don’t think this means you have to have a Hilton hotel in every place, bu' there has to be a good room with private facilities.” he said.

New Zealand's scenery, which had considerable appeal to Americans, was "the prime asset” for tourism. The absence of health hazards in New Zealand was another advantage One of •he disadvantages was the inflexible meal hours in hotels "This is something that really hits a visitor because everyone does not want to have breakfast at 8 o’clock. Some want it at 10."

said Mr Gouffe. “It is the service angles that are the main disadvantages.” Referring to a lack oi porters at New Zealand airports, he said Americans expected porters to handle their luggage at terminals. He himself, had arrived at Rongotai Airport with five pieces of luggage and would have found it difficult to manage had there not been people waiting to meet him